Benefits of using epidurals in the treatment of post-operative pain Research Paper - 1

Benefits of using epidurals in the treatment of post-operative pain after a bowel resection - Research Paper Example This paper will analyze the benefits of epidurals in treating post-operative pain after bowel resurrection; additional methods will also be discussed that assist in pain management after this operation. Effective administration of post-operative pain treatment is beneficial for a patient, as it does not only relieve pain, but also hastens recovery and discharge from the hospital. According to Andres, et al (N.d, p.5), post-operative pain is associated with physical and emotional suffering, as a result, sleeping becomes an impossible mission, and the recovery process is delayed. Therefore, pain management treatments are administered with an aim of improving the quality of a patient’s life, allowing quick recovery, and reducing death cases. Epidural involves the continuous flow of pain relief medicines through a cannula that is placed in the back of a patient. Bowel resection is a surgical procedure whereby, part of large or small intestine is removed; however, it occurs in two forms - large bowel resection or small bowel resection. Large bowel resection involves the removal of part of the large intestines, whilst small bowel resection involves the removal of part of the small intestine that is affected (University of Maryland, Medical Centre, 2011). The advantage of using epidural after bowel resection is that it not only reduces pain, but also prevents post-operative ileus. Patients who undergo bowel resection often experience post-operative ileus, a complication that may arise after a bowel section. In addition, thoracic epidural hastens the recovery of a patient by enabling the bowel to function (Johnson & Walsh, 2009). Holte & Kehlet (2001) argue that, epidural techniques such as anesthetic reduce surgical stress responses, autonomic reflex responses, and organ dysfunctions; they also reduce post-operative morbidity as well. As opposed to inflammatory drugs, which affect the healing of a wound,